Sandblasting nozzle safety requires a combination of common sense and the right equipment. Whether you are using a sandblaster nozzle for etching glass, preparing your classic car for a paint job or working in an industrial setting, you need to be aware of the safety and health issues involved with using sand blasting nozzles.

There are many hazards of using a sandblast nozzle. High speed particles can damage the eyes, excessive noise can damage the ears, and fine particles can damage the lungs if inhaled. As you search for the best methods to protect yourself and others while using a nozzle for sandblasting, keep in mind the following aspects:

1. The media you use plays a big part in the safe operation of your sandblaster nozzle.

2. The particles that escape your sandblasting area may be hazardous to others.

3. The clothes you wear while sandblasting will carry residue from your sandblasting nozzle and may be hazardous to you and others.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Familiarize yourself with safety requirements for industrial sandblast nozzles

If your employment involves the use of sand blast nozzles or requires you to be in the vicinity of sandblasting operations, you need to be aware of the dangers and the safety requirements your employer must provide. Your primary consideration should be for your lungs, as sandblasting operations produce a fine dust that is harmful when inhaled.

I recommend: Manley Brothers provides a good discussion from the worker's perspective of safety equipment you should have to avoid the dangers of using a sandblast nozzle. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a brief overview of sandblasting nozzles safety issues for employers and links to several PDF files on various safety issues. "Safe Sandblast Cleaning" and "NIOSH Respirator User Notices" are two you will want to read, but there are others addressing the safe use of sandblast nozzles.

Protect yourself when using a sandblasting nozzle for your hobby

Sandblasting nozzles are great ways to prepare a metal surface for painting. You may be considering the use of one in your hobby. You must be aware of the safety issues when using the sandblast nozzle for fun the same as you would if it were your work.

I recommend: MIG Welding addresses the safety issue of dust particles escaping from the site where the sandblasting nozzle is in use, and it provides information on the proper personal safety equipment you should use. Toolboxtopics.com presents a thorough discussion of safety issues caused by airborne dust particles from sandblast nozzle use. The article includes a list of safety equipment needed, including clothing and different types of respirators and filters.

Look for safety equipment and sandblast nozzles for sale

Safety equipment for when you are using your sandblasting nozzle can be as simple as hood, respirator, coveralls and gloves. Or you can opt for a self-contained system with its own nozzle and filters that will prevent particles from escaping into the air and can help you recycle your sandblasting media. Sandblasting nozzle manufacturers usually have a system to help you get your job done safely.

I recommend: Norton Sandblasting Equipment lists a good selection of suits and gloves and a hood and respirator system. In addition to suits and hoods, Anderson Sales Inc. offers enclosed sandblasting systems from cabinet models to an entire sandblasting room that will confine dangerous particles.

Sandblast nozzles control the flow of the blasting medium, whether it's sand, aluminum oxide or steel shot. Your choice of sandblaster nozzle will depend on your purpose for blasting. There are sandblasting nozzles designed for cleaning and preparing exterior surfaces, for stripping paint to repair auto body damage and even for specialized craft work like carving stone and etching glass.

In addition to your purpose for using a sandblasting nozzle, take the following factors into consideration when checking out sandblast nozzles for sale:

1. Material—Find ceramic sandblasting nozzles as well as sandblast nozzles made from tougher boron carbide or tungsten steel.

2. Bore type and opening size—Sandblasting nozzles are available in several bore types, including straight, tapered and hourglass-shaped venturi sandblast nozzles, and in opening sizes suited to the blasting medium and the flow of air pressure measured in CFM (cubic feet per minute).

3. Attachment—Find a nozzle for sandblasting that uses an insert attachment, for sandblasting guns, or a threaded or flanged attachment meant for use with nozzle holders in blasting cabinets.

4. Equipment manufacturer—Choose replacement sandblasting nozzles designed to fit the equipment you already own.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find sandblasting nozzle manufacturers with the product you're looking for

Sandblast nozzle manufacturers and distributors offer nozzles tailored to your industrial and commercial blasting needs.

I recommend: Find a heavy duty boron carbide nozzle for sandblasting at high CFM pressures with high-abrasive media at Unibrite. Red Hill Supply will help you choose the right product, from standard sandblasting ceramic nozzles to tougher tungsten models. Northern Tool + Equipment offers heavy duty steel sand blast nozzles as well as blasting guns, hoses and air jets. Find sandblasting nozzle and hose kits for automotive work at A.R. North America.

Buy sandblaster replacement nozzles to fit your existing equipment

Even the toughest nozzle for sandblaster use becomes worn out over time by the abrasive material that flows through it. To keep your blasting equipment in optimum working condition and protect worker safety, choose replacement sandblasting nozzles designed to work with your brand and type of equipment.

I recommend: International Surface Preparation carries a full range of replacement sandblasting nozzles for most makes and models. Download a catalog of replacement sand blasting nozzles for your Kennmetal equipment by clicking Blast Nozzles at Finishing Equipment Co., Inc. Contact IDS Blast Finishing, a stocking distributor of most popular sandblaster replacement nozzles, for parts availability.

Choose sandblaster nozzles for specialized purposes

Uses for sandblasting nozzles aren't limited to large industrial, construction or automotive jobs. Find a specially designed nozzle for sandblasting to carve stone for architectural detailing or monument lettering, or use a high-pressure, finely focused sandblaster nozzle for decorative glass etching.

I recommend: Granite Tool City offers tungsten and silicon carbide sand blast nozzles for precision stonecutting. Find sandblast nozzles suitable for glass etching at Glastar Corporation.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When buying replacement sandblaster nozzles, be sure to buy compatible replacement air jets, too. The two parts undergo similar wear patterns.

How expensive a sandblaster nozzle is depends on many factors, including the model, size and material. Many types of sandblasting nozzles can be ordered in bulk, saving you time and money normally spent on replacement orders. To get the most value from your nozzles, it is important to consider how often you will need to replace your nozzles and what material you'll be using to sandblast.

Perhaps the most important factor in the cost of a sandblaster nozzle is the material it's made of. Generally speaking, cheaper nozzles will cost less upfront, but wear out quicker, while more expensive materials will withstand heavy grit and long use better, resulting in less frequent replacement. Determining which is better for you depends on factors like how long you intend to use your sandblaster and what grit you'd like to use. To learn more about sandblasting nozzles pricing and costs, consider the following:

1. Ceramic nozzles are the cheapest and most common type of nozzle.
2. Tungsten Carbide sandblast nozzles are a good value for most projects, and last longer than many other types of nozzles.
3. Boron Carbide nozzles cost much more than the average ceramic or tungsten carbide nozzle, but last longer.
   

Action Steps
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Purchase sandblasting ceramic nozzles for an economical solution

Ceramic sandblasting nozzles are the cheapest type of nozzle, but they wear out much more quickly than nozzles made of other materials. Ceramic nozzles usually are purchased in packs of six or eight, but can also be purchased individually or in bulk. Purchasing ceramic sandblast nozzles in bulk usually will save you money. You can find ceramic nozzles for anywhere from $1 to a $15 each, depending on the nozzle size and how many you purchase at a time.

I recommend: Buy a ceramic nozzle for sandblasting for a great price from CVF Supply or Every Air Compressor.

Try tungsten carbide sandblaster replacement nozzles to reduce replacement costs

A tungsten carbide sandblaster nozzle generally costs a bit more than a ceramic nozzle, but because a tungsten carbide sandblasting nozzle withstands wear much better than the ceramic counterpart, you have to replace them less. This means jobs get done quicker and you spend less time and money on nozzle replacements. This can result in an overall savings, even if a tungsten carbide nozzle costs more upfront. These nozzles can cost anywhere from $50 to $160 per nozzle.

I recommend: Choose a tungsten carbide nozzle from the wide selection available at competitive prices at HandsOnTools.com or Norton Sandblasting Equipment.

Buy a boron carbide sandblast nozzle to save money on heavy-duty jobs

Purchasing a boron carbide sandblast nozzle will save you money if you plan to work with heavy grit when sandblasting. Other nozzles will have to be replaced repeatedly with heavy use, while boron carbide nozzles are created to be especially durable, saving you money in the long run. However, boron carbide nozzles require a significant upfront investment, as they are one of the most expensive types of nozzle. Because of the price, boron carbide sand blasting nozzles are usually manufactured on demand, and often require a price quote. Boron carbide nozzles often sell for $75 to $200 each.

I recommend: Get a price quote on a boron carbide sandblasting nozzle from A.R. North America or Crystal Mark, two of the leading American boron carbide nozzle suppliers.

Knowing what type of sandblaster replacement nozzles for what type of job and when to use sandblasting ceramic nozzles can help you perform your job better and make for more satisfied customers. Sandblasting is a technique that combines the material, the nozzle and the skill needed in order to get the best result. There are many aspects of sandblasting that are essential to know before performing sandblasting as a part of your business.

Some of sandblasting nozzles education and training comes from experience. Turn to resources that offer the experience of others in the field, so you can provide the best services possible to your customers. Consider the following when searching to develop your sandblasting nozzles education:

1. Sandblaster nozzle manufacturers can offer you endless knowledge on sandblasting nozzles.

2. Instructional websites can offer you invaluable information about sandblasting nozzles.

3. Online forums that discuss sandblast nozzles are a great way to have an interactive conversation with others using sandblasting nozzles.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use sandblasting nozzle manufacturers and supplier websites to get current information

Exploring websites that sell sandblasting nozzles is a great resource for learning the different types of sandblast nozzles which exist and for learning what you can use each one for. Through these manufacturer and supplier websites, you can acclimate yourself with the world of sandblasting and become more in tune with the current sand blasting nozzles on the market. Many of these types of websites also provide extra information for properly using sand blasting nozzles for specific jobs.

I recommend: Red Hill Supply gives pertinent information to choose the proper sandblaster nozzle. Norton Sandblasting Equipment provides specific information for each sandblast nozzle that it sells and describes what you can best use each for.

Turn to instructional websites for advice on sandblast nozzles

How-to websites on sandblasting can help you to get a feel for how to use a nozzle for sandblasting so that you can learn tricks of the trade. Some instructional websites include how-to videos, while others provide detailed written instructions that will help you to feel confident using sand blast nozzles. Instructional websites can also help you to troubleshoot your sandblasting nozzles if you're having poor results. Seeing or reading how others in the business complete the job can help you to perfect your technique.

I recommend: DoItYourself.com discusses sandblasting and using sandblast nozzles. Monster Guide outlines a step-by-step process for using sandblasting nozzles. If you're having trouble getting started, this instructional tool can send you in the right direction.

Participate in online forums that discuss sand blast nozzles

Discussing sandblasting ceramic nozzles and sandblaster replacement nozzles with others in the field will allow you to greatly further your sandblasting nozzles education and training. This type of resource allows you to ask and answer pinpoint questions about every step of the sandblasting process. Getting yourself involved in a network of other sandblasting professionals will not only develop your sandblasting nozzles knowledge, but it will also create a professional support system for you to use to help you work to your full potential.

I recommend: Contractor Talk is an online forum for professional contractors to discuss sand blaster nozzles and other topics that are specific to the field. Wheelabrator Allevard Enterprise offers Best of Blasting, an online forum that is specific to sandblasting. It allows users to share their knowledge as well as pose questions to fellow professionals.